Severe Clostridium difficile-associated colitis in young patients with cystic fibrosis.
We report four patients with cystic fibrosis and fulminant Clostridium difficile-associated colitis: two died, and one required hemicolectomy. Three of four patients carried the N1303K mutation. Severe and fatal C. difficile colitis can occur in cystic fibrosis patients, possibly with a genotype-specific predilection (i.e., N1303K/other). Because cystic fibrosis patients may have a wide spectrum of gastrointestinal symptoms, disease caused by C. difficile must be considered when these patients have acute abdominal pain, diarrhea, or severe leukocytosis.
Rivlin
J
J
Department of Pediatrics, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Lerner
A
A
Augarten
A
A
Wilschanski
M
M
Kerem
E
E
Ephros
M A
MA
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation